How Do Celebrities Get an EU Passport? Inside Malta’s Citizenship by Merit

Malta’s old citizenship-by-investment programme is gone. Repealed. Done.

In 2025, following a Court of Justice of the EU ruling that effectively condemned « citizenship for sale » models, Malta replaced its transactional scheme with something fundamentally different — a merit-based naturalisation route designed for exceptional individuals, not passive investors writing cheques.

And it’s quickly become one of the most sought-after EU passport routes for high-net-worth individuals, tech founders, internationally recognised athletes, and entertainment figures who care deeply about how their second citizenship looks on paper.

This guide explains exactly what the programme involves, who qualifies, what the process looks like, and why the merit framework has become the benchmark other countries are being measured against.

What Is Malta’s Citizenship by Merit, Exactly?

The formal name is the « Granting of Citizenship by Naturalisation on the Basis of Merit Regulations », introduced via Legal Notice 159 of 2025 under Malta’s Citizenship Act (Cap. 188). It operationalises Article 10(9) of that Act, which empowers the Minister to naturalise individuals who have rendered exceptional service to Malta or to humanity — or whose citizenship is considered of exceptional interest to Malta.

The distinction worth understanding immediately: this is not a payment plan. There is no fixed contribution threshold. Buying a property or placing money in government bonds will not get you here. The framework is explicitly merit-driven, and passive financial transactions are insufficient on their own.

According to how to obtain Maltese citizenship by merit as outlined by Global Residence Index, the programme is best understood as a discretionary honour — one where the applicant’s achievements must create measurable, verifiable value for Malta or for humanity, evaluated by an independent Evaluation Board before the Minister ever sees the recommendation.

How It Differs From the Old Citizenship-by-Investment Scheme

The repealed CBI scheme under S.L. 188.06 had clear financial thresholds. Applicants paid a non-refundable contribution of either €600,000 after 36 months of residence, or €750,000 after 12 months. On top of that came a property purchase of at least €700,000 (or a rental commitment of €16,000 per year for five years), plus a €10,000 donation to an approved NGO.

Tick the boxes, pass due diligence, receive citizenship. That model is no longer available.

The merit framework replaces those financial checkboxes with qualitative assessments. What has the applicant actually contributed? To science, technology, arts, sport, philanthropy, entrepreneurship? What will they contribute going forward, and how does that align with Malta’s national development strategy — including its « Vision 2050 » priorities?

The Evaluation Board, composed of three independent members, reviews all of this before any ministerial decision is made. Approval is neither automatic nor guaranteed.

Who Qualifies? The Eligibility Criteria

Baseline requirements are relatively straightforward. Applicants must be 18 or older, hold a clean criminal record, demonstrate good health via a medical report, and have no negative immigration history in visa-free partner countries.

The harder part is the merit threshold. Qualifying categories include:

1. Science and research — significant publications, patents, or breakthroughs
2. Sports and athletics — elite-level performance, federation partnerships, talent development
3. Arts, culture, and entertainment — global recognition, cultural contributions to Malta
4. Technology and entrepreneurship — founding or expanding businesses that create high-skilled employment
5. Philanthropy and humanitarian work — funding or leading initiatives in health, education, or sustainability

Alternatively, an applicant may qualify under the « exceptional interest » category — where their profile, talent, or strategic alignment with Maltese national interests is itself the basis for the application. This is a broader but equally demanding standard.

The Residence Requirement

Genuine residence is non-negotiable. Applicants must establish lawful residence in Malta — either through property rental or purchase — and accumulate approximately 8 to 12 months of documented presence before the final naturalisation stage. This isn’t a formality; the government expects evidence of integration, regular presence, and meaningful ties to the country.

That said, permanent post-citizenship residence is not required. Once naturalised, the individual becomes a Maltese and EU citizen with no mandatory minimum stay obligations going forward — though maintaining ongoing links tends to reflect well during any post-naturalisation monitoring period.

The 7-Step Application Process

Understanding the process end-to-end helps set realistic expectations. The total timeline typically runs 12 to 24+ months from initial planning to passport in hand.

Step 1: Pre-Screening and Strategy (2–4 Weeks)

Specialist advisors assess the applicant’s achievements, identify merit angles, evaluate risk profile, and determine whether the case is viable before a single document is filed. This stage is where weak applications are filtered out — and where firms like Global Residence Index add considerable value by ensuring only well-positioned cases move forward.

Step 2: Establishing Malta Residence (1–2 Months)

Securing residential accommodation and obtaining a residence permit, including biometrics. The clock on the required residence period starts here.

Step 3: Proposal Letter and Merit Documentation

The centrepiece of the application is a detailed Proposal Letter submitted to Community Malta Agency. It covers the applicant’s professional biography, existing contributions, and a forward-looking commitment to Malta’s national priorities. Supporting evidence — press coverage, awards, financial reports quantifying impact, endorsements from Maltese institutions — must accompany this document.

Step 4: Preliminary Due Diligence (2–3 Months)

Community Malta Agency conducts multi-tier checks: identity verification, PEP and sanctions screening, source of wealth analysis, litigation history, and reputational review. This stage aligns with EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive standards.

Step 5: Evaluation Board Review (3–6 Months)

The independent Board of three members assesses the proposal against merit criteria. They may request interviews. Their recommendation — positive or negative — goes to the Minister.

Step 6: Ministerial Approval in Principle

The Minister retains final discretion. An Approval in Principle may be issued conditionally, pending completion of the residence period or any outstanding contribution commitments.

Step 7: Final Naturalisation and Oath of Allegiance

Once residence is confirmed, the formal naturalisation application is filed, a final due diligence cycle completes, and the applicant takes the Oath of Allegiance to receive the citizenship certificate and passport.

Why High-Profile Individuals Choose This Route

Reputation is everything for celebrities and executives who live in the public eye. The merit framework’s explicitly non-transactional character means there’s no « cash-for-passport » headline waiting to happen. Applications are processed through Community Malta Agency — not through commercialised agent networks — which limits visibility.

Malta does publish an annual Government Gazette listing naturalised citizens by name, so complete anonymity isn’t guaranteed. But the reputational positioning of a merit-based grant is categorically different from a purchase-based scheme.

The practical benefits are also compelling. Malta’s passport offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 180–185+ destinations, including the full Schengen Area, the UK, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Australia, and the US via ESTA. As an EU citizen, the individual gains the right to live, work, and incorporate businesses across all 27 member states — without work permits, visa restrictions, or third-country national status.

For a touring artist, that means frictionless European scheduling. For a tech founder, it means access to EU venture capital markets and M&A without regulatory barriers. For a sports figure, it means simplified movement across training bases and competitions throughout the continent.

Real-World Application Patterns

While individual cases are confidential, the industries that appear most frequently in merit-based citizenship discussions are consistent: technology founders establishing R&D operations in Malta, entertainment figures creating arts foundations in Valletta, athletes partnering with Maltese federations to develop local talent programmes. Each of these represents a genuine, verifiable contribution — not a financial transfer.

Global Residence Index advisors note that the quality of the Proposal Letter and the robustness of the documented merit evidence are often the decisive factors separating successful applications from rejections. A strong profile without strong documentation fails just as often as a weak profile with excellent paperwork.

Malta vs Other Programmes: A Quick Comparison

Portugal and Greece offer golden visas — residency, not citizenship — requiring 5+ years and language integration before any passport becomes available. Greece’s threshold starts at €250,000 in real estate; Portugal’s post-2023 version focuses on investment funds from approximately €500,000. Both are residency-first pathways, not direct citizenship routes.

Caribbean CBI programmes (St Lucia, Antigua, Grenada) deliver passports in 3–6 months from around US$100,000, but they don’t confer EU citizenship or EU-wide settlement rights. For public figures concerned about perception, the « commercial » association of these programmes can be a drawback.

Malta’s merit route occupies a different tier entirely. It’s slower, more demanding, and more selective — but it delivers direct EU citizenship through a framework that has been specifically engineered to satisfy EU court and Commission standards. In 2026, the programme scored 77/100 in a leading global citizenship index, topping the ranking for the 11th consecutive year.

Common Questions, Answered Directly

Is this the same as buying citizenship? No. There is no fixed payment that guarantees a positive outcome. Financial contributions alone are explicitly insufficient.

Does the whole family qualify? Spouses and dependent children can typically be included in the original proposal, subject to the same due diligence standards.

What if the application is rejected? There is no right to approval. Rejections can result from insufficient merit, negative due diligence, or weak integration evidence. Applicants may reformulate and reapply, but there are no guarantees.

Does Maltese citizenship expire? No. The citizenship itself has no expiry. Passports renew every 10 years under standard rules.

Can citizenship be revoked? Yes — if obtained through fraud, misrepresentation, or concealment of material facts.

Working With the Right Advisors

Given the complexity of the merit assessment, the quality of the Proposal Letter, and the multi-stage due diligence process, working with experienced investment migration advisors is not optional — it’s structural to a successful application.

Global Residence Index specialises in positioning clients across the full spectrum of citizenship and residency programmes, including Malta’s merit route. Their pre-screening process is specifically designed to identify whether a client’s profile is genuinely viable before any government fees or extensive documentation work begins.

For individuals who are exploring their options more broadly — or who may not yet meet the merit threshold — programmes like the Malta Permanent Residence Programme or the Malta Global Residence Programme offer structured pathways that can serve as a foundation for a future merit application.

The route to a Maltese passport is no longer about the size of a bank transfer. It’s about the depth of a contribution. That shift changes everything about who applies, how they apply, and what they’re building in Malta when they do.